Thursday, July 29, 2010

Cellist Kayla Herrmann began studying music at age five in Blacksburg, Virginia. From the very beginning, chamber music has been a prominent part of Kayla's education. Studying closely with violinist David Ehrlich, she spent many summers attending chamber music festivals such as the West Cork International Chamber Music Festival in Ireland and Ameropa International Chamber Music Festival in the Czech Republic. In 2002, Kayla co-founded the Saturn String Trio, with whom she performed until 2008. With the trio, she appeared in recitals throughout Virginia, including at the Governor's Inaugural Ball, the Governor's Mansion, and events for Virginia Tech University. Kayla has performed in master classes for members of the Vermeer, Guarneri, Vanbrough, Emerson, Martinu, Talich, Czech Philharmonic, and Audubon Quartets. As a passionate educator, Kayla has taught many students in Virginia and North Carolina. She has given numerous educational recitals at local schools as a part of Virginia Tech's music outreach program, the Greensboro Symphony's School Concerts, and with the Winston-Salem Symphony's Mary Starling concerts. Kayla completed her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2010 studying with Brooks Whitehouse.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Wake up to a forceful inhale; the foreign scent of a new dwelling. Hello, Brooklyn! I came in late Monday night, exhausted. Splat. I have found a single room living with a nice, forty-something airline worker next to the freeway. She sleeps in the living room and I have “the master”. With a toothbrush and crusty eyes I unpack my clothes into the drawers. Finished, I head out the door for a day on the town. I am a settler from Minnesota via North Carolina: my reverse Manifest Destiny.

To the JMZ on Marcy Avenue; it’s a straight shot, 5 blocks to the elevated tracks.

The train rumbles over Broadway, a behemoth in the sky. The block around the station is lined with delis, a pharmacy, and a discount shoe store. For breakfast I decide on Terry’s coffee shop. It’s a tasty start to the day. I finish my chicken sandwich, pay, and walk out to the street. As I disembark, a stranger’s eye contact captures my attention.

“You got a cigarette?” he inqures. “Some days I have cigarettes and some days I don’t...”

As he comes into focus I notice this man is sweating profusely, no shirt in sight, pushing a jalopy bike with a plastic bag on the seat wearing a pair of medical gloves, “to protect him from the germs?” I ruminate.

“I like to ask people who aren’t from the neighborhood for a cigarette.”

I feel a rushing wave of fear, nakedness, whiteness: naiveté a country bumpkin. A foreigner.

“You know there’s a lot of kids around here with no summer job ‘cuz a’ cuts in this area… You can’t stand out on the street looking at people… You can’t go walking around here alone, people don’t like you staring at them.”

I can’t tell if he is trying to help, but I want to get away; however, I do what most Minnesotans would do… I make small talk.

“I just moved here,” I explain, trying to defend myself. I can’t put my finger on his intentions. Racism? Anger? Just a bad day? Just another “Crazy”?

“Where d’you live?” he asks.

“Right in the middle of the Hasidics,” I answer, “Over on Ross St. What about you?”

What am I doing? Why am I still talking to this man? This creepy, glove-wearing man.

He looks at me with a cool stare:

“I live over in the Hassidic community also, over there with you.” Now he looks at me like I’m the racist. Maybe I am. Maybe he is.

“You need someone to take you around. You want me to take you out to drinks? What’s your name? You have a phone number?”

I don’t really know what’s happening, so I try to ground myself with a question for him, but I end up giving him the information he wants at the same time.

“I’m Drew, what’s your name?”

He says his name and I don’t remember it, except that it was three respectable names like Charles Rodney Lynch, or Rodney Lynch Charles or something.

“You got a phone number?” He says.

I don’t know what to do. I can’t just walk away.

“Yeah.”

What? Why did you say that to him?

“You wanna go out for drinks? I’ll show you around.” He gestures toward the bodega next to us. “Here, get a pen from Ahmed inside--”

“I got a pen and paper.”

What am I doing here? Why am I giving this guy information?

“This better be a real phone number. What’s your name, Drew what?”

“Drew Madland.” As I write down my actual number there is a pang of regret and a feeling of nausea.

“What day? Friday night, Saturday night?” He folds the paper up into his pocket. I finally come to my senses and avoid any commitment; I tell him to “Give me a call whenever.” He seems satisfied and we part. I rush up the stairs to the station and burst through the turnstile. There is a buzz in my head, and a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach. “What just happened?” I wonder, dazed. “Is he gonna call me?”

“What am I doing here?”

As I board the train and coast away, some of my anxiety melts, and my surroundings come into focus again; I see the many faces of the subway, and I am re-immersed in the freedom of anonymity, and there is a little solace in that. “I’ll never see him again,” I think. “And if I do, I’ll stand up to him, or walk away.” Good morning, New York.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Drew Madland grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota climbing trees, exploring train tracks and building forts in the woods. In his teenage years he acted at the Regional Tony Award-winning Children's Theatre Company, playing roles including Cliff Bradshaw in Cabaret. Drew has recently graduated with his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied under Gerald Freedman, Robert Francisconi, Tonya Belov, Laura Henry, Mary Irwin, and Dale Girard. Drew is also a company member of OneBody, an ensemble of theatre artists dedicated to advancing the principles of sustainability in culture and art. Inspired by the movements of nature, OneBody nourishes the bonds among people and their environment through performance, education, and partnerships such as residencies on organic farms.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

We're delighted to announce that WABC aired a story on Lincoln Center Institute this week. Monday's 5 o'clock news on Channel 7 in NYC featured coverage of LCI's Summer Season workshops for educators. One of these workshops was attended by our Kenan Fellows, who can be seen clearly in the footage. Here is the link:

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

We asked all six Kenan Fellows to reflect on their first impressions upon moving to NYC. Some have been living here already, and some have just arrived. Benjamin Garner describes his move to the city:

Pre-story setting: The day before my first day.

Sitting between my cats on the floor of a mostly empty apartment at around noon, I sighed, "How will I ever get the rest of this stuff out of my apartment?"

Then it hit me... I could just come at the end of July and clear it all out. I open my laptop and look around at a few airport websites. JetBlue.com offers the best deal, so without thinking too much about logistics I purchase a 6:10 am - 8:00 am flight from Charlotte to New York for the following morning. "Now what?"

Frantically I begin looking for airport coaches from around Charlotte. When all I find are Shuttles and Limosines (while tempting) at $150 a pop, I start to think I should just drive there.

I call a few people that I know are still in town and ask if they might be willing to drive me; something I would have no hesitation doing to help any of them.

After hours of calling and texting, Success! One friend, still in town, is willing to drive me.

It's dinner time. I make a quick meal.

I fly through my house grabbing essential travel materials, clothes, laptop... and that is it. I zip up the suitcase and decide to lie down on the floor to get some rest. It is about 10:30 pm.

Tommy, my friend who offered to drive me to Charlotte, walks in and puts his laptop down. "Don't forget to put all of that music that we recorded together on my laptop!"

In a daze, I quickly plug it in to an external hard drive, and start copying.

3:30 it is finished.

I look around my house. Send a few texts to people who can watch my house and my cats.

Grab a few last minute items... Socks, Toothbrush, Hiking boots? Still in a daze, I suppose.

My insomniac upper neighbor walks down and asks if he can come along for the ride. "The more the merrier," I say.

We depart despite my attempts to go back multiple times as if I were forgetting something, which, of course, I was...

Hour and a half of reflecting conversation and listening to some heavy rock and we are there.

I thank my friends and bid them fairwell, along with a generous tip (I thought) for being willing to drive me.

Check bags, clear security, hit the gate that is already boarding.

Whew. And then I promptly fall asleep on the plane.

8:00 am, as the plane is preparing to land, I'm shaken awake by a flight attendant. "Please put your seat in the upright position please, sir."

I'm here.

I read a bit the day before as to how to get around in the city, but I have also been to NY before.

JFK has the Air train that connects you with the Long Island RailRoad and the Metro.

I bought a metro card and proceed to take the Airtrain to Jamaica Station.

I hop on a train to Penn Station only to realize that they don't accept Metro Cards... So I have to buy a ticket from the conductor. I thought I was on the metro.

I ask around at the station for the fastest way to the Lincoln Center. "Take the C to 59th," someone tells me.

I get off at 59th and proceed to walk up a few blocks... Success! I see the Lincoln Center! And it is only just past 9:30 am.

Now what?

I call Drew Madland... "Where do I go?"

"Look for the Rose stairs," he says...

I find them. Go past Security and head to the 9th floor. Someone there calls down to Melissa, who promptly comes and retrieves me.

Pulling everything I brought in a suitcase the entire time, I sit down (in the refreshing cold air conditioning) and fill out most of my paperwork.

Whew... that didn't take very long either.

I grab a wrap from a shop nearby and I go to Barnes and Noble to figure out the Subway situation for a bit. I call the friends I'm supposed to stay with and get directions and an address.

I depart and make my way to Brooklyn Williamsburg. Meet Mike, the man of the house, and he takes me to do laundry and get some new shoes (All i had was heavy hiking boots) and some tasty empanadas. I get back to the apartment, set up an inflatable bed and fall into a sweaty (No A/C at the apartment) but comfortable sleep.

Good impressions all around of the City, and the people.

Thought I will add that yesterday (Wednesday) I fell in love with the City because I smelled authentic Vietnamese food. I grew up next to a Vietnamese Family and I ate HOMEMADE food there just about every afternoon until I was like 13 or 14...

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Benjamin Garner is a multi-instrumentalist musician, teacher, philosopher, and technology enthusiast. He has a Master of Music degree (May 2010) in classical piano performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), in Winston-Salem, NC. While attending UNCSA, Benjamin was the recipient of the Bill and Judy Watson Assistantship for Recording (2008-2010). He has performed with notable conductors Ransom Wilson and John Mauceri. Benjamin holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). During his time at VCU he gave performances with classical chamber ensembles, symphony orchestras, competitive choirs, touring rock/jazz/reggae fusion bands, in addition to giving solo piano concerts. Benjamin currently works as a private piano and strings instructor where he customizes curriculum and methods for his pupils. He is full time accompanist at Shady Grove United Methodist Church, in Wallburg, NC. He is also a freelance accompanist and freelance recording engineer.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

We asked all six Kenan Fellows to reflect on their first impressions upon moving to NYC. Some have been living here already, and some have just arrived. Amanda Hinchey reflects on her first day in the city, one year ago:

My first day in New York City was a stressed-filled nightmare, most of which was spent trying to find my way to my first of what would be many sublets. I have never coped well with traveling, and when I arrived in Chinatown off the bus with all the belongings I could carry, I quickly began panicking when I wasn’t able to find the subway line that I was supposed to take to get to Brooklyn. Although I did have the phone number of my new neighbor, who was eventually able to give me directions to the correct stop, by the time I made it onto the train I had become close to hysterical. I couldn’t bring myself to relax while being surrounded on all sides by people who seemed annoyed by the amount of room I was taking up with my luggage. When I finally got off the train I still had several blocks to walk, and I had exhausted myself both mentally and physically so that I had to stop every quarter of a block, either to rest or because I had dropped something. I did manage to take in more of my surroundings, and was struck by how different this quiet, residential area of Brooklyn was in comparison to the craziness of Chinatown. Eventually I made it to my sublet, where I collapsed onto the bed and didn’t stir until the evening. I remember waking up after that nap and feeling the loneliest I had felt in a long time. It was strange to be in a city so large and diverse and yet feel more cut off and isolated than ever before. It was also strange at how different the city seemed from the time I had spent there in the past as a visitor. Much of the rest of that first night was spent wondering if I had made the right choice in moving so soon after graduation.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Amanda Hinchey is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. While still in school she performed with Lorraine Chapman the Company at such venues as the Yard at Martha’s Vineyard and Jacob’s Pillow, and Stephen Koplowitz at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, MA. In NYC, she has danced for Mari Meade Dance Collective and is currently dancing for Amalgamate Dance Company. Her choreography was presented at Cool New York 2010 and as a part of The Outlet Dance Project in New Jersey.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

We asked all six Kenan Fellows to reflect on their first impressions upon moving to NYC. Some have been living here already, and some have just arrived. Kathryn Logan reflects on making her move to the city, two years ago:

I have spent a lot of time in New York throughout my life. Many summers were chocked full of dancing intensives, most of which tend to be located here: a dance haven, they said. I even moved here to dance in college right out of high school. But each time she pushed me away, Manhattan, and each time I left with my hands cupped tightly to my head, sighing, "Never Again." But I always came back: most summers, many vacations, auditions, et cetera. Until I graduated from UNCSA and made the decision to try again.

This time, of course, it was different somehow. Not quite so intimidating after all these years, it actually felt like a homecoming of sorts: like it was my lack of commitment to her all these years that had caused me to head back south- toward literal greener pastures each time.

The deeper I get into the dance and music scenes here and the more people I meet, the more enamored I become with the possibility that lies amidst the all-but-appealing concrete - most especially because of the immense opportunity of collaboration. I have never known a collective people (those being the artists in general here in these five boroughs) to be both so willing to collaboratively create and so consistent with follow-through, with fruition. It is the thing that makes New York so unique for me, and was, I think, as well, the reason, once invisible, which always kept me coming back for more: creative productivity- and the level of quality of introspection in artists here that allows big questions to be asked and elaborated upon.

In a way it is the professional community I had always hoped for that I found here. And it maybe, quite simply, took my becoming a professional within it to see this clearly enough.

Factually, I am nearsighted. I do need glasses to read anything that isn't right in front of me.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Kathryn Logan is a native of Nashville, TN living in Brooklyn. She holds a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and she has received additional training with the Limón Dance Company and through repeated study at the Bates Dance Festival. Kathryn has enjoyed performing works of José Limón and Merce Cunningham, and working with Jennifer Archibald, VIA Dance Collaborative, Celia Rowlson-Hall, Mari Meade Dance Collective, and Daniel Clifton. She has performed in such spaces as the Lincoln Center Institute, Dance New Amsterdam, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, CATCH Series at Galapogos, Bill Young's LIT, and collaborated with 9Thirty Theatre Company. Kathryn’s choreography has been presented in various venues, including Triskelion Arts and the Merce Cunningham studios. Kathryn is also a dedicated musician, steadily performing and recording her original work, as well as creating compositions for dance. She is a devoted yoga practitioner and an avid believer in the importance of exploring all possible facets of expression. http://www.kathrynlogan.bandcamp.com/

The Kenan Fellowship at LCE Blog

One of the projects in which the Kenan Fellows at LCE will be involved this fall is the creation of this blog. This blog will give them an opportunity to share with you their journey and stories as they experience aesthetic education as approached by LCE and as they develop their artistic careers in New York. The six Fellows will be periodically posting their thoughts and reflections on different aspects of their fellowship along with video clips and pictures.

About the Kenan Fellowship

Now in its 13th year, the William R. Kenan Jr. Performing Arts Fellowship at Lincoln Center Education (LCE) seeks to provide emerging artists, graduates of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), with knowledge of aesthetic education that will prepare them for work as artists in the field of arts and education.
Each Fellow is mentored by an LCE teaching artist in their discipline. Mentors support and assist their Fellows with practical knowledge and experience as they embark on their careers. As well, Mentors introduce Fellows to a network of professional artists in New York City.
Additionally, the Fellowship supports time to pursue artistic studies, performances, and further development of networking in their professional fields. Fellows are also encouraged to apply to produce and develop their own performance project.
This Fellowship is made possible through the generous support from the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust and the William R. Kenan, Jr. Fund for the Arts.